There are two kinds of people in the world: those who have dogs and those who do not. For the ones who do have dogs , they know that their dogs are not just another pet or animal to have in their life, but instead, a family member.
Dog owners are a rare breed of individuals who understand and see that dogs are four-legged saviors who come into our lives when we need them the absolute most and get us through some of the worst of times. The least we can do, in return, is to get them through all of their bad times, too.
Dog owners know that we are responsible for their overall well-being.
No matter what happens in life, our dogs depend on us to take care of them. They can’t do everything for themselves the way we humans can, so they rely on us for food, nurturing, and many times, bathroom breaks. Dogs also need some love and affection to make them feel good too, just as we need the same from them.
And, no matter what happens, they rely on us for safety.
No matter what happens in life, be it a natural disaster, illness, or even war—our dogs rely on us to keep them safe and alive. Many times, when we feel we cannot go on, we look at our pets and realize that they are relying on us to stay afloat and we owe it to them to carry on. Sometimes, that means literally.
Recently, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has been making headlines all over the world.
Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, news agencies all over the world have been reporting on the war-torn country and its civilians who have been severely impacted. Many have lost their lives, their homes, and their simple everyday pleasures.
Many stories have been shared across social media by those who live in Ukraine.
One story was shared on Twitter of a woman who was journeying towards the border of Ukraine, hoping to escape the country during this violent and unpredictable time. But, she wasn’t alone. On her back, she carried one of her elderly dogs, a German Shepard.
35-year-old Alisa was fleeing Ukraine to seek safety in Poland.
Sharing her story with The Guardian , Alisa worked for a German company that assisted her and her family with getting into Poland. She loaded up her car with her family and two dogs, driving 16 hours to a village about 140km from Kyiv.
When they were near the Polish border, they decided they had to go on foot.
It was safer for them to do the rest of the journey walking—so they walked 10 miles at 4 AM in the bitter, bitter cold. But, Alisa noticed that her 12-year-old German Shepard could no longer walk.
“I stopped cars and asked for help but everyone refused; they advised us to leave the dogs. But our dogs are part of our family,” she said.
Instead of leaving the dogs behind, Alisa picked her dog up and carried him all the way.
Alisa said that their dogs have been with their family through good times and bad, so there was no turning their back on them now. And, for their family, their dogs were part of their “normal lives,” and they could never just leave them behind.
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Many online were sincerely touched by this act of love.
One Twitter user wrote that she was “sobbing” because of how touched she was by the act of kindness from Alisa and her husband. She said that it’s amazing to see that “dogs understand” and will “let themselves be carried” because they know they cannot walk that far on their own.
Others said that many images from Ukraine are proving “pets are family.”
Another added that of all the images coming out of Ukraine over the last two weeks, many are proving that families—despite their urgency to have to leave—will not leave their pets behind. It showcases that pets truly are family to many individuals all over the world.
And, lastly, one person shared resources to help support animal shelters in need.
While some were able to evacuate their dogs and their pets, others were not so fortunate to be able to do so. One person shared a link to resources where animal rescue centers and shelters are housing animals that could not escape with their loved ones.
